NBA teams are reported to expect guidelines on bringing back players

The idea that the NBA could finish its current season over the summer has never felt more real than it does now.

It was firstly reported that Disney World had achieved favorite status as the venue for a resumed season. The second news is that the league’s teams are expecting guidelines from the NBA that teams will be allowed to begin bringing players back to their home markets as well as expanding workouts as a step towards resuming the season, according to ESPN source.

Under the present timeline, NBA games could start as soon as the middle of July. While no firm timeline is scheduled, getting players back to their home markets before June 1 would theoretically give teams more than one month to prepare. According to ESPN, that would include a quarantine period, an individual workout one-to-two week period, and a mini training two-to-three week camp to help players and teams get back up to speed. Although there remain a number of details that need to be ironed out before restarting the season would be possible, the league is currently working out what format the remainder of the current season could take, consisting of a possibly regular season or play-in tournaments for the playoffs.

Before any resumption is possible, there are still a number of issues they need to work out. If there will indeed be some sort of bubble at Disney World, it has to be established who will and will not be allowed inside of it, as well as what the consequences will be for breaking those rules. While the league may not shut down over a single positive test for coronavirus, a true outbreak might be enough to end the 2019-20 season for good.

How these questions will be answered is unknowable for the time being, but at least, there seems to be some degree of optimism. The league appears to be planning as if the season will be indeed finished.